Bandon 0-10

Sarsfields 0-8

TOM LYONS REPORTS

JAMES Nyhan hailed Bandon’s character after they qualified for the Co-op Superstores Intermediate A Hurling Championship final.

It wasn’t pretty, but that doesn’t matter – semi-finals are for winning, and that’s exactly what Bandon did, despite the strong, swirling diagonal wind in Riverstick that played havoc with players’ attempts at scoring on Saturday.

‘The players showed great character out there today, that’s what we’re trying to build with this group of players,’ said coach James Nyhan.

‘We haven’t been in a final since 2016. You look around there at all the great Bandon hurlers here today supporting this team, lads like Paudie Crowley, Niall O’Rourke, Martin Kelly. They’re all over the moon with this win. The minors are also in a county final. It's a rising hurling tide in Bandon at the moment and that’s exactly what we want.’

Jack Cullinane was on target for Bandon against Sars.

The bare scoring facts don’t tell the story of this battle, but they do illustrate the negative influence the wind had on the quality of play. Only four points were scored in the opening quarter, and Sars were ahead at half-time, 0-6 to 0-4. Bandon had the wind in the second half but, amazingly, the half went 21 minutes without a single score from either side, as the contest developed into a real dogfight.

The lack of quality was more than compensated for in the last ten minutes with both sides straining to grab the win. With the excitement mounting, Bandon finally found their scoring touch in those closing minutes, outscoring the opposition by six points to two, and were relieved to emerge winners by two points. But semi-finals are all about the result, and Joe Burke’s Bandon now face their first county final since winning the premier intermediate final nine years ago against Fermoy.

‘That was a real battle, tit-for-tat all the way,’ James Nyhan added.

‘The wind probably ruined it as a spectacle but they’re two good hurling teams. Semi-finals are for winning and we achieved that. In fairness our guys battled hard and just got over the line in the end.

‘I’ll admit I was pulling my hair out in the second half when we went 21 minutes without scoring but they stuck at it. We’ve lost only two games all year, there’s great resilience in them. They were very disappointed last week to lose the football game but I said to them that they had finished that game so strongly and they did exactly the same today.’

Bandon won the toss but opted to play against the swirling wind, and the aim of the first half was containment. They did much better than that as their defence – brilliantly led by Peter Murphy, Tim Twohig, Cathal Lynch and Dylan O’Donovan – shut out the Sars’ attack.

It was impressive centre back Kevin Crowley who opened the scoring for Sars with an 80-metre effort but it was Bandon who then hit the front with two fine efforts from Mike Cahalane, one from play and one from a free. Daragh Long had the first point from a Sars’ forward, and it was all square at the end of a tentative first quarter, 0-2 each, which was definitely a plus for Bandon.

The second quarter saw Sars finally managing to get their radar operating properly after numerous wides. Three unanswered points from Aidan O’Brien (2) and Aidan Hackett opened a small gap but back came Bandon with a point from the hard-working Jack Cullinane.

Sars were almost through for a goal but Luke Hackett’s effort was superbly saved by goalkeeper Pat Barry. It was Bandon’s turn to almost raise a green flag, but Conor Calnan’s shot came back off the post. The rebound was sent over by Mark Sugrue and Bandon were only a point in arrears again.

Luke Hackett closed the scoring for Sars but it was Bandon who retired the happier of the two sides at half time, only two points behind, 0-6 to 0-4.

Bandon coach James Nyhan.

Any expectations the Bandon supporters may have had of their side pulling away with the wind in the second half were quickly blown out of the water by a Sars’ side that came out battling from the first whistle. The outcome was a total stalemate on the scoreboard, as Bandon – led by Mike Cahalane, Jack Cullinane and Eolann McSweeney – looked for openings without any reward.

Bandon hearts were definitely beating faster until Mike Cahalane, as he has so often done for them, came to their rescue with two mighty pointed frees from his own half of the field to tie the scores, 0-6 each, in the 53rd minute.

Sars weren’t done yet, and a Sam McNamara point had them back in front. Darren Crowley hit a sweet point to level again and sub Ciarán McCarthy shoved them in front. Once again, Sars replied – when Luke Hackett levelled in the 59th minute, we were staring at extra time.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going and, with Darren Crowley and sub corner back Peter Calnan impressing, Bandon kept the best until the last when they pointed twice in injury time – Mike Cahalane (free) and Conor Calnan finding the target.

It was enough to send Bandon into the county final against Aghabullogue on Saturday week at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

OUR STAR: It was all hands to the wheel for both sides in this arm-wrestle but Peter Murphy at the centre of the Bandon defence was as solid and steady as a rock, leading all through by example.

Scorers

Bandon: Mike Cahalane 0-5 (4f); Darren Crowley, Mark Sugrue, Conor Calnan, Jack Cullinane, Ciarán McCarthy 0-1 each.

Sarsfields: Luke Hackett, Rory O’Brien (65, 1f) 0-2 each; Daragh Long, Aidan Hackett, Sam McNamara, Kevin Crowley 0-1 each.

Bandon: Pat Barry; Nelson McCarthy, Tim Twohig, Eamonn Twomey; Cathal Lynch, Peter Murphy, Dylan O’Donovan; Mike Cahalane, Charlie Long; Darren Crowley, Mark Sugrue, Conor Calnan; Jack Cullinane, Seán Carey, Eolann McSweeney.

Subs: Rob Long for D Crowley (blood, 8), Peter Calnan for N McCarthy (23), Ciarán McCarthy for C Long (42), Rory Fogarty for M Sugrue (42).

Sarsfields: Donnacha McCarthy; Kieran Walsh, Daniel Roche, Jack Huggins; John Leddy, Kevin Crowley, Jack Leahy; Sam McNamara, James O’Leary; Cillian McCarthy, Aidan Hackett, Daragh Long; Seán King, Luke Hackett, Rory O’Brien.

Subs: Seán Bracken for C McCarthy (35), Conor O’Rourke for R O’Brien (49), Callum Austin for A Hackett (60).

Referee: Aidan Hyland.